After 40 or 50 years of decline, it should be pretty clear to Coatesville, let alone any other community, that if they are going to rebuild itself, the community should not expect outside help – and to grab it when they can get it.

A Coatesville train station project, usually to rebuild the old one, has been discussed for decades. The idea was going nowhere.

A pile of money from the federal government for transit development fell into Pennsylvania’s lap from the last recession. The Commonwealth dedicated a portion to rebuild train stations – dream projects -- from Philadelphia to Harrisburg.

Coatesville made the list. The city deserves to be there.

Instead of rebuilding the existing train station at a lousy location, Coatesville will be able to move the station a couple blocks east. The proposed location will have parking for motor vehicles. It will leave the station closer to grade level eliminating steps. The location became available because of the notorious arson fires that afflicted the city several years ago. The project is currently budgeted at about $25 million.

The city should be enthusiastically grasping this project.

Instead, the city is apparently heeding cautionary statements from state Sen. Andrew E. Dinniman that warn its interests are not being properly safeguarded by the state and county.

On one level, the senator is correct. It is the duty of the community to watch out for its own interests, and not just depend on the state and county to tell them what is best.

This particular lack of civic engagement in the past, however, has not been the fault of Chester County or Pennsylvania, it has been the fault of Coatesville – usually because of bad politics that no one wanted a part of.

In general, Dinniman is wrong. The senator is the catalyst behind a “Community Benefits Agreement” linking the new rail station project to job training programs, economic development programs without number, making sure things are environmentally peachy, possible educational programs, art programs, and a partnership with the Veterans Administration. Notably, in a press release, the senator adds those concerns “are not limited to.”

All the while, some fiction is presented that this is not meant to be hostile to development.

Of course not.

The senator said “coming redevelopment projects provide a great opportunity to examine and address long-standing community needs and concerns.”

We don’t know what development projects are coming.

We know of this development project that is here.

The first concern of the Coatesville community should have is to get the train station built.

A train station that people want to use is itself an economic development activity. It encourages people to want to come and go from a place.

The current Coatesville train station does not meet that minimum requirement. It’s a dump that no one wants to use.

Somehow or another, whenever an economic development opportunity comes along in Coatesville, someone wants to attach conditions to attempt to resolve a list of problems real or perceived in the community.

Here’s a better idea. Get the best physical train station from the state that you can. Leave the facility and property open enough for future expansion if needed over the next 50 to 100 years. Don’t laugh. The existing station was built around 1910. Make it clear that will happen as the community grows because you have created an open and welcome place for people to work and live.

A good second concern of the Coatesville community should be a City Council that seems incapable of passing a balanced municipal budget. Since selling its water company 14 years ago, the city has drawn down a bank balance of $36 million to $5 million to cover hapless and in many cases unbudgeted expenses in daily operations.